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Read about it here.
The Lake Worth CRA, with money burning in its pockets and money it has to spend quickly, wants the Commission to consider the construction of 12 townhouse units, known as Urban Arts Lofts, on property located on the west side of North "F" Street between Lake Avenue and Lucerne Avenue. The Commission will pass this project tomorrow night.
A motion was made by Robert Waples of the Planning & Zoning Board at the December 7th meeting with a second made by Laurence McNamara, that the Board approve PZB 11-01400105 Involving Urban Arts Lofts and its meeting all the general special land use standards relating to the City’s Code. The vote was 5/2.
Although we have empty townhouses all over town, staff also recommended a conditional approval of the P&ZB Project No. 11-01400005: Site Plan Review, Community Appearance and Special Land Use to allow Townhouses in the Moderate Intensity Commercial (MIC-1) district based upon the conditions as stipulated in the City Staff Report.
The entire project, according to CRA Director, Joan Olivia, will cost between $4.5 and $5 million dollars. Olivia finally stated a price on these units: The 3,000 s.f. units with garages will sell for $90,000 to $110,000 to folks not making more than 120 percent of the area median income for Palm Beach County of $73,080 for a family of two. Joan Olivia says that this will be "market value." How do you build a project for $5 million and sell 12 units for $110,000 or less?
Do the math!
These grants and giveaways are becoming more and more prevalent in our "entitlement" society as the country is crumbling with $15.5 trillion in debt and growing. The government tells people that they can have this and that for nothing...in some cases they are discouraged from even having to work. And no one sees anything wrong with this. Mitt Romney recently stated, "The truth is that everyone may get the same rewards, but virtually everyone will be worse off."
And the sad truth of this NSP2 Grant is, it won't make one dent in the slum and blight within the City of Lake Worth, a heavy price tag for the American taxpayer for a hope--a hope that it might instill pride in homeownership and turn the neighborhood around.
8 comments:
Isn't that what people are ticked off about, anarchists wanting govt to support them. Isn't that why this commission changed?
That is another perception that is false.
The very same people who were and are still crying out about "anarchists" are the very same people who think spending government grants is a good thing especially if they can remotely benefit if not directly.It doesn't matter about the cost.
Incidentally, the only declared Anarchist around here is Cara Jennings (besides her boyfriend) and she voted AGAINST this project.
To the commenter who just tried to post--
I would have posted your paranoid comment until you got personal.
To be so scared of a group of "anarchists" is about as ridiculous as anything imaginable. They aren't taking over squat.
That's what they said about the small group of Nazi's when they first appeared in Germany. Taking over an election in Lake Worth is not that difficult when the vast majority of tax paying residents don't care to vote or attend city meetings. Don't take things so personal but it's true.
I am jist sticking to my policy this year...nothing personal.
Anything is better in the area than what was there! Jennings was against"gentrification" of the area. Give me a break!Changes have been made to the original concept(which were butt ugly,by the way).Oliva knew the cost from day one,but ,as usual ,refused to give any info to the P&Z board when they were first hit in the eye with these things.Cograts to the P&z board. You insisted on some needed and sensible changes to this project.Hopefully this can begin the trend of HOME OWNERS,not RENTAL GHETTOS in this area. To the CRA- please try to at least give the illusion that Oliva is accountable to SOMEBODY,SOMEWHERE!
Thanks for the stats about LW Townhouses. Can't argue with the math - it's what gets me too about these projects! They all sound really wonderful and a huge amount of work goes into it but at what cost? What is a real life scenario return on investment, not what they 'think' it will be.
Does anyone know the details about the our tax base being frozen when the LW CRA takes over and declares an area blighted? In California there is an uproar because the cities do not see the increase in tax revenues some as long as 40 years in some places. They have a lots of money and a lot of power for unelected officials!
Not so sure about your assessment that this project is better than what was there before. The project is still ugly but the CRA gets to blow a bunch of money.
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